E veryone has strengths. Our qualities, capacities, relationships, values, stories, experiences, skills and material resources can all be strengths. But ‘The Problem’ can easily be experienced as all-consuming, keeping clients and services alike stuck and creating barriers to change. Strengths-based practice focusses squarely on identifying, mobilising and celebrating clients’ strengths.

Social workers, counsellors, managers, educators—and anyone who works with others—can become a catalyst for building cultures where strengths and connectedness flourish, so that clients build resilience, capacity for lasting change and genuine ‘agency’ in their own lives. This highly engaging and practical training facilites participants’ learning of strengths-based principles, skills and resources that can be applied immediately in their work.

STRENGTHS APPROACH TO PRACTICE

Social workers, counsellors, managers, educators—and anyone who works with others—can become a catalyst for building cultures where strengths and connectedness flourish, so that clients build resilience, capacity for lasting change and genuine ‘agency’ in their own lives.

P: (03) 5446 0500E: info@innovativeresources.orgw: innovativeresources.org

AudienceThis training is suitable for social workers, teachers, counsellors, psychologists, life coaches, trainers, managers, supervisors and team builders. It is appropriate for those with no knowledge of strengths- based practice models as well as those with prior learning and experience.

content elements• What is the strengths approach?• How does it align with person-centred, solution-focussed

practice?• Principles of practice including power-over and power-with• Strengths approach skills including: noticing change,

scaling, externalising and reframing• The column approach• Creating conditions for change.

Learning Outcomes Participants have the opportunity to:• define and articulate strengths-based,

solution-focused practice• considerthedynamicsof‘powerover’andhowtoworkfroma‘powerwith’perspective

• identifyconditionsthatmaximiseeachperson’sparticipation in their own change process

• practise strengths-based, solution-focused skillsincluding externalising, reframing, scaling, list buildingand straight talk

• learn about a strengths approach to recordingand documentation

• discuss ideas for a strengths approach to challengingconversations

• consider the implications for practice when workingfrom a strengths perspective

• take away ideas for using tools for strengths-basedconversation-building.

practice knowledgeThis training is grounded in over 25 years of strengths- based practice across a range of services including family work,youthservices,mentalhealthsupport,financialcounselling and victim support programs. It provides a set of values and skills that emphasise the importance of identifying, mobilising and celebrating client strengths, expertise, skills and resources. Resources used in this training are also informed by other knowledge platforms for practice including solution-focused practice, Brief Therapy, Appreciative Inquiry, Choice Theory, Creative therapies, Circles approaches to groupwork and Narrative approaches.

Resources used in this training• Strengths Approach book and Innovative Resources tools• Participant Resource Notes and hand-outs to take away• Images and quotes to inspire and engage• Online visual components.

durationThis training is available in one- and two-day formats. The two-day training is preferred as it provides invaluable opportunities to practice applying the principles and skills withthebenefitofcoachingfromthefacilitator,andfeedbackfrom the group. Day One and Two can be scheduled on successive days, or with a period of days or weeks in between.

In this highly interactive workshop participants will experiment with a wide range of original, Australian-made resources for opening up meaningful conversations with children, youth, families and adults. With a unique mix of playfulness and soulfulness, this

workshop aims to deliver a hands-on experience of the role of artifacts and visual metaphors in adding potency to conversations about strengths, hopes, goals, values, relationships, feelings and the changes people want to make in their families, organisations and lives.

St Luke’s Innovative Resources Phone: (03) 5446 0500 Email: info@innovativeresources.org www.innovativeresources.org

AudienceChild, youth and family workers, counsellors, teachers, psychologists, parenting educators, foster carers, psychologists, youth workers, life coaches, mentors and anyone who works with children, youth, adults, families and communities.

content elements• Creative ways to use resources to identify, mobilise

and celebrate strengths• The importance of building emotional vocabularies• Storytelling as the fabric of counselling, therapy, team

and community building• The latent power of visual metaphors to enhance

conversations• Different learning styles and questioning techniquestoinvitecuriosity,reflectionandconversation

• Elements for creating respectful, inclusive, safeenvironments for conversations and groups.

Learning Outcomes Participants will have the opportunity to:• take away a range of practical, immediately-applicable

ideas and activities for using resources in their work• build their knowledge of various strengths-based,

solution-focussed questioning styles and techniquesto open up conversations and keep groups safe

• understand the role of creativity in preventing burn out• take account of different learning styles, language

forms, metaphors and visual elements• gather ideas for using resources to build teams as well

as organisational culture• learn about strengths-based, solution-focused principles • refresh their enthusiasm to try new things in their work• learn about strengths-based, solution-focused principles

and skills to apply in facilitating conversations.

practice knowledgeThis workshop uses an array of active learning techniques to demonstrate creative ways to invite children, youth and families to engage in meaningful conversations through consideration of safe spaces, Circles technology as well as elements of Brief Therapy, Choice Theory and Appreciative Inquiry. It emphasises agency, collaboration and respectful humour. It embeds strengths-based, solution-focused and narrative ideas and methods. It draws on the power of metaphor and visual elements, as well as understandings of emotional intelligence, multiple learning styles, adult learning and group facilitation principles.

Resources• Participant Resource Notes• Original, Australian-made card sets, stickers and picture

books created especially for building conversations aboutfeelings, strengths, values, goals and positive relationshipsincluding:

• Two Worlds (conversations with kids and familiesnavigating separation/divorce)

• Positive Parenting Cards (parenting stories, hopesand goals)

• Our Scrapbook of Strengths (the ‘glue’ of communityresilience)

• Baby Strengths, Strength Cards for Kids and many more• quotes, music, poetry and games.

durationFull-day

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

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With a unique mix of playfulness and soulfulness, this workshop aims to deliver a hands-on experience of the role of artifacts and visual metaphors in adding potency to conversations about strengths.

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Please fax or send registration form and payment to: StLuke’sInnovativeResources62CollinsStreet,KangarooFlatVictoria3555,orfax(03)54472099.Full payment is required at the time of registration to secure your place in any of the activities. Ifpayingbychequepleasemakepayableto:StLuke’sInnovativeResources.

Strengths Approach to Practice and Tools of the Trade combined

Registration Form

For more information, please phone (03) 5446 0500 or email training@innovativeresources.org

www.innovativeresources.org

CANCELLATION POLICY: A full refund will be given if notice of cancellation is received in writing up to 10 working days prior to a workshop. Registrations cancelledbetween5and10dayspriortothecommencementoftheworkshopwillincura25%administrationfee.Feesforregistrationscancelledlessthanfiveworkingdayspriortothecommencementoftheworkshopwillnotberefunded.Workshopsmaybecancelledshouldparticipantnumbersbeinsufficient.Innovative Resources will notify participants as soon as this decision is made and a full refund will be provided. NOTE: Unless otherwise requested, your name and address may be added to our mailing list.

AnglicareVictoriatradingasStLuke’sInnovativeResourcesABN:97397067466

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Location Workshop Strengths Approach to Practice (1 day) and Tools of the Trade

Innovative Resources Training Room 62 Collins Street, Kangaroo Flat (Bendigo) Victoria 3555

Payment by: Invoice (organisations only). Please forward a copy of this form with any correspondence

Cheque Visacard Mastercard

Full name on card Signature

Cost

$499 per person (includes a copy of the Strengths Approach book) Includes GST.

Train: WerunafreetransitservicefromtheKangarooFlatrailwaystation(ontheMelbournetoBendigoline). Just let us know what time your train gets in and we will collect you.

Parking: There is plenty of free parking available on site

Catering: Morning and afternoon tea, and lunch will be provided. Please advise of any special dietary requirements.

Date Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 March 2019; 9.30am—4.00pm